亚洲综合中美

“On the contrary,” three silhouettes arrived, Aulia stood at the front, “-I had my friends dig a few things out for me.” Moments prior, upon glancing at the village, an idea jumped into mind – one constant remained wherever the world might have been; none can be too careful during negotiations. Thus, to bring the battlefield closer to home, he asked the trusted companions for favors.

“My God,” spoke the robed lady, “-a blond-haired pale woman,” her arms rose instinctively, “-begone, damned spawn of the devil!”

“Quiet,” said the mayor, “-priestess, would behoove thee not to interject so frivolously,” the side-look shifted forward onto Igna, “-what proof do you have?”

“Firstly, might I borrow thy time and curiosity for a bit?”

“Sure,” he eased into his seat, the posture open and ready to listen. The boy, epicenter of the discussion, shuffled to the priestess’s shadow, whereby she patted his cheeks in reassurance.

“Good,” he turned and made for Aulia, “-are these the papers?”

.....

“What are you doing?” she tightly pinched a letter, “-the leader sought me to deliver this, what have you done?”

“You’ll learn shortly,” he smirked and made for the table, the distance shortened, power in his voice and tone spoke clearly and intensely.

“I’ll start from the beginning, I’d like to speak to young Yognl’s father, not the mayor of Tariel,” the man nodded in affirmation. An inhale gathered his thoughts, ‘-I have all the pieces,’ he unfolded the letter onto the table, the mayor, naturally curious, leaned for a better look, two abrupt taps refocused is attention onto Igna, “-the letter will come to play soon. The village in charge of the newer farmlands have been famished until recently. Your son, I’m sorry to say, fell head over heels for Aulia,” she nodded and watched silently, “-the feelings drove him to sneak out of town and make towards the village. I’m sure he can fill in the details, later on, ask to thy heart’s content, he’ll be happy to answer, for a man’s feelings must be true and without shame. Nevertheless, the day he disappeared wasn’t a coincidence either, the young boy was kidnapped to be assassinated.”

“Quite the claim, do you have the proof, let me remind, lying won’t do much, the gallows are welcoming of anyone, regardless of race or stature.”

“Hence the letter, if you’d take a look.”

There it read, “-as per our agreement, I vow to make the unjust behavior to the village folks right. The boy will sneak out of town, my men will be at the ready to finish the deed. Keep watch and speak to none about this,” signed J. N.

“What sense must I make of this, tis but words on a paper.”

“Look closely, the seal on the letter,” it slid across, “-and the signature,” turned towards Yognl, “-tell me, what’s your uncle’s full name?”

“June Notila.”

“J.N,” he smiled, “-thing is, without the signature, the villagers wouldn’t be assured, and without their support, a deed of such proportions won’t be possible.”

“He could have used an alias, forging a signature isn’t unheard of,” observed the man.

“Correct, which is why I had another ally of mine,” *come forth, Vengeance,* “-there’s additional proof, the seal and the paper used to scribe the message. Comparing the two shan’t be an issue.”

“Okay, you’ve implicated my cousin, what then, what’s the point, recount the story.”

“If you’d let me continue. Where was I,” he paused, thought, then resumed, “-we can say without a doubt June is responsible. How do I know this, aside from the evidence, we spoke briefly, Yognl remembers, and I quote, ‘-I see you made it back alive, must have been a traumatic experience,’ bear in mind, we had just arrived, in no way could one have known the boy to be outside the town, especially since you, and the retainers, resolved for him to have a sheltered life. As to what happened, it’s simple, a powerful man swooped in on a barely sustained village. He offered to build another well as the prior didn’t suffice for everyone and the fields as well. The masons, by which Aulia can correct me, aren’t from the village, they’re workers under June’s control. Infer to the letter, ‘-my men will be at the ready to finish the deed,’ which deed, the kidnapping and murder of Yognl. Currently, you must be asking why they would turn on you, the answer is simple, revenge. Unjustified tax inflation, snatched their harvest, leaving them stranded for the winter, many died, and you seem to care,” he paused and watched, “-tell me, Mayor, the first impression tells of a loving father, someone who’d never wish bad on another. The village isn’t under thy jurisdiction, is it.” the comment forced an exhale, the strong fa?ade dwindled, “-Aulia, sometimes, the story isn’t truly unveiled unless the players are revealed. The mayor isn’t responsible for the tax, rather, tis June, a man of his caliber, supposed to be in debt of 500,000, blatantly flaunts his wealth and grows larger than a pig.”

“Correct,” added the mayor, “-my hands are tied by the trader’s union. I won’t go into too many details, suffice to say, our family currently has no means of surviving without the support from the other trading families. My fool of a cousin owes us half a million, rather than to pay back the due, he chose to infiltrate the noble faction and lead them, he’s a very shrewd person, their kind always flocks to one another,” the deep voice swelled in rumbling anger, “-never thought he’d go so far as to kill my son for vanity’s sake.”

“How about we strike a deal?”

“A deal?”

“An eye for an eye. I’ll happily dispose of him; an accident shouldn’t be hard to scheme. Tell me, Mayor, what is important, thy family’s life or an ever so fluctuating sense of justice?”

“End him.”

“Understood,” Igna eased to Fenrir and Intherna’s side, “-worry not about payment – the lord’s estate should have much for me to borrow.”

“No, no,” he refuted, “-please, you wanted information, the priestess lady Yuio Kinoa has been blessed as an apostle by God of chronology, Oris. She’s a walking library of information and events.”

“I welcome the offer,” returned Igna.

“WHAT ABOUT US!” exclaimed Aulia, “-what of our people, what of those who died.”

“My sincere apology,” he stood and bowed, “-I had no idea of the pain my foolish cousin caused. Justice has arrived in an unexpected form – I promise for the taxes to be lowered, tis all I can achieve at the moment.”

She grudgingly accepted, they exited the town hall and made for a nearby cheap tavern.

“I’ll check on the room,” said Intherna.

“I’m coming with,” added Fenrir, off they went into a darkened interior presided by a tilted sign barren of words. Benches laid sloppily towards the street’s back and forth. Aulia sighed heavily.

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“The sighs,” he narrowed, “-what’s the matter now?”

“I don’t understand how a person can go into such debt.”

“The burnt farmlands,” he added, “-I’d wager tis how the debt arose. At least the village will be relatively safe, can’t say much about the outside threats.”

“We’re used to it,” she smiled, “-thank you for the help.”

“No need for gratitude, I merely recounted the tale of a man who thought the world to be his playground.”

“I’ll go, the chief must be worried.”

“Send him my regards.”

She rose strongly, held up her chin, and walked in relative confidence. Bystanders were taken by surprise; her appearance was much to be desired. Hence, ended an unexpected encounter amidst an unknown world. Later said night, the news of June Notila’s death would shake the very foundation of the opposing faction. The next day arose under a clear blue sky, wooden windows opened vertically to a crowded street, “-good morning,” yawned Intherna, “-sleep well?” she rubbed her eyes.

“Yeah,” he replied with elbows against the ledge, “-the events feel too similar for my liking...”

“You caught on,” the doors opened widely, he shot an uncaring look behind.

“Priestess,” the back straightened, “-about time.”

“I do apologize,” her slightly tan complexion and timid gaze never once openly looked at Igna, “-the mayor wanted me to wait until the deed was accomplished. He’s very pleased by the results,” she entered the room lightly, “-here are letters from the master and the young master.”

“Great,” they disappeared in a black-portal, “-tell me,” *snap,* wind blew away her hood, four horns, two big and two small, lined against her forehead, short black hair awry onto the shoulder, the crimson-colored pupils sternly looked forth, “-why would you do that?”

“I had my doubts,” he smiled, “-demon posing as a priestess. Where you the mastermind behind the scheme?”

“Maybe yes, and maybe not,” she revealed a very conniving smirk, “-Igna Haggard, I was informed by a voice that you were in Draebala; the one who’s inherited death, time, and Origin’s will. What brings such an entity to our realm?”

“I came shopping,” returned nonchalantly, “-Fenrir, get ready,” he leaned over his bed and shook, Fenrir’s snores interrupted, “-wake up,” he kept on shaking, *grr,*

*Bite,* “-FENRIR!”

“MASTER,” she rose,” -I’m sorry, I have a habit of biting in my sleep.”

“For the love of what...” said a disappointed sigh, “-Intherna?”

“Deal with it,” she winked and left, “-I’ll go pay the manor a visit, we need money, don’t we?”

“Thank you.”

“No problem,” she yawned, “-anything to make the trip easier.” The change in atmosphere garnered a frown, “-Ig-” formed on her lips.

“Don’t,” he interjected, “-I don’t have time to play,” in saying so, the actions proved otherwise, her forehead crinkled by their energetic display.

“-don’t have time to play... pretell, what’s sort of dance are you and the girl doing?”

“The rain dance,” he smartly replied, “-priestess or whatnot, go sit at the tavern, I’ll be there in a minute.”

“HOW INSOLENT,” she stormed out, slamming the door behind.

“Igna?” returned Fenrir knelt on the bed.

“Don’t worry,” he smiled, “-it’s a plan to lower her confidence. Don’t give her what she wants, and she’ll offer herself to what we wish to hear. For the sake of dignity, put on some clothes whilst you sleep.”

“Understood,” she slipped onto the cold floor, stretched and tiptoed to his ear, “-you say that, I know you loved cuddling my fluffy tail.”

“Fenrir....”

“HA, I KNEW IT,” she twirled to the side, “-can I have some clothes?”

“Already on the table,” he pointed, “-I’m headed down, join me when you’re done.”

“Okay!”

‘Honestly,’ the short-uncleaned corridor, lit via a poorly fueled lantern, led to the stair. The carpet sheathed a bunch of differently colored stains, the walls – cracked at parts, were hideous, ‘-for a legendary beast, her attitude fluctuates between mature and childish. Vengeance completed his assignment; I had my doubts about June, the way the information and signature were easily obtained, tells me someone had planned for him to take the fall. Hold on a moment,’ he halted at a turn in the staircase, ‘-priestess...’ it clicked, ‘-that fucking guy,’ he clenched, ‘-he used the priestess to do his bidding – a demoness should easily be able to lit farmland ablaze, are you serious, did he really orchestrate the scheme and play the victim. I was played a fool,’ he chuckled, ‘-he got what he wanted and I gave it to him,’ chuckles turned laughter, ‘-Igna you were played for a fool, what a tantalizing feeling.’

“What’s with him?”

“Don’t look, must be the Lejo plant.”

“Let’s go before we catch crazy, I told you we should have picked another tavern.”

“Come on love, you know well we can barely afford protections...”

“Pull out.”

“My timing sucks.”

“Too bad.

The laughter calmed, he threw a stern look around the stair into a darkened hall, ‘-so, they’re the couple who constantly moaned last night, honestly,’ he facepalmed, “-it would be nice to sleep without someone having intercourse next door.”

“You heard us?” fired the man.

.....

“Obviously...”

“I’m embarrassed,” the lady hid her face and ran, the man promptly followed.

‘I wonder if her soul would work for the sister system, I mean, if she laid the foundation for such a scheme, I wonder what greater darkness looms.’